Posted on 05/19/2025 11:58:13 AM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum
Administration officials and members of billionaire Elon Musk’s U.S. DOGE Service — aided by local and federal law enforcement agencies — seized the institute’s privately owned headquarters in March and summarily removed its leaders.
“The President’s efforts here to take over an organization outside of those bounds, contrary to statute established by Congress and by acts of force and threat using local and federal law enforcement officers, represented a gross usurpation of power and a way of conducting government affairs that unnecessarily traumatized the committed leadership and employees of USIP, who deserved better,” Howell wrote in her 102-page opinion.
The judge said the administration’s subsequent actions — including terminating staff and programs, replacing the institute’s president with a DOGE agent, and transferring its headquarters to the General Services Administration — were “effectuated by illegitimately-installed leaders who lacked legal authority to take these actions, which must therefore be declared null and void.”
The institute’s leaders and legal team were working Monday afternoon to review the ruling and determine their next steps, a representative for the institute said. The Justice Department did not immediately respond to a question about whether the Trump administration would appeal the ruling.
Trump targeted the institute for elimination in an executive order that also including the dismantling of several other nonexecutive branch foreign aid and peacemaking agencies.
Employees from DOGE, which stands for Department of Government Efficiency, took over the institute’s headquarters with help from the Office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, the FBI and D.C. police.
Institute officials had tried to convince DOGE representatives that such a takeover would be illegal, given the nonprofit’s status as an independent organization and restrictions on the president’s ability to remove board members. But officials...
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
This is messed up and I dont know what to believe, but something isnt right.
AI says that “a government agency cannot also be a nonprofit organization. Government agencies are part of the sovereign government and serve public interests, while nonprofit organizations are private entities that must comply with government regulations. Nonprofit organizations are not-for-profit entities that are typically tax-exempt and operate to further charitable, educational, or scientific purposes”
AI then says “The United States Institute of Peace (USIP) is an independent, non-profit organization established by Congress, not a government agency. It is funded by Congress and operates with a bipartisan board. While it receives funding from the U.S. government, it is distinct from traditional executive branch agencies”
AI then says “Congress does have the authority to create independent agencies. They establish these agencies through law, defining their structure, powers, and functions. Independent agencies are designed to operate with a degree of autonomy, often headed by a multi-member board with tenure protections, ensuring decision-making is based on expertise rather than short-term political considerations. Independent agencies, while part of the executive branch, operate with a level of independence from the President, ensuring their decisions are not solely driven by political considerations”
All this pretzel logic drives me nuts. If congress created it, it needs to be administered by the executive branch. Period. No unaccountable entities. And while they may have some ‘level of independence’ from the President, they are not independent and unaccountable.
Ok, we’ll fund it out of your budget Judge. Cool?
since it blows the budget and the debt limit. I’d feel safe in saying.. Yes.
In order for this agency to be what AI says it is it would HAVE to be mentioned in the constitution as some kind of fourth co equal branch. It also sounds like this agency steps on executive responsibilities.
Not surprised you don’t like Jesse Helms, who was one of the greats. He saved Reagan’s bacon in 1976.
The beotch looks like Jesse in drag.
Get off your high horse, sonny.
Tuff titties as they say, now enforce your ruling.
That's the weakest of weak arguments. DOGE didn't fire anyone. The Department Secretaries did.
Why are you asking AI these questions? If you want pretzel logic, that’s a great way to get it.
She looks to me like Klaus Schwab in drag, frankly.
How does this judge know this. I think they make this stuff up as they go along because no one calls their hand.
If i decide to sue a trump decision and a federal judge accepts the case, then that judge then has binding authority in that area.
If i sue over the qatar guft jet, and dc circuit accepts the case, then the dc judge has total authority and must be obeyed until sone higher judge countermans him. Is that the standard...simply accepting a case?
The judicial branch is not the excutive branch, nor tye superior of the executive branch.
This shiite needs to end now.
“..Howell belongs in an orange jumpsuit, not a black robe. She is not a judge, but a radical leftist posing as a judge....”
^THIS^
This vile creature for the Pit should NOT be allowed to be anywhere near a lever of power of anything.
Some people will do anything attention.
Abolish the DC Circuit. Rotate federal cases among the remaining circuits on an impartial basis. DC is fatally infected with swamp fever and unsalvagable.
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